SB 5780 — Making provisions to commemorate the centennial of national women's suffrage.

S-4925.1SECONDS-1290.1SENATE SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5780State of Washington65th Legislature2018Legislature2017 Regular SessionBy Senate Ways & Means (originally sponsored by Senators Darneille, Walsh, Rolfes, Rivers, Saldaña, Angel, Wellman, Brown, Chase, Wilson, Cleveland, Keiser, Warnick, Short, Kuderer, Becker, Ranker, Bailey, Conway, and Hunt)READHuntRead FIRSTfirst TIMEtime 02/06/18.AN02/09/17. ACT Relating to commemorating the centennial of national women's suffrage;

amendingReferred RCWto 27.34.230;Committee on State Government.AN ACT Relating to commemorating the centennial of national women's suffrage;

and providing an expiration date.BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1.  On August 26, 1920, with the action of the Tennessee legislature, the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified, establishingguaranteeing thewomen rightthroughout tothe votecountry forthe mostright Americanto women.vote.

However,The thisintroduction, rightpassage, forand someratification womenof occurredthe later:Nineteenth Amendment were the result of decades of work and struggle by women's voting rights advocates throughout the United States, with people from Washington state providing significant leadership.In 1854, six years after the landmark women's rights convention in Seneca Falls, New York, the Washington territorial legislature initially considered enacting women's right to vote.

Native Americans generally by 1924;

many Asians during the mid-twentieth century;

and many others following enactment of voting rights legislation during the 1960s.The introduction, passage, and ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment were the result of decades of work and struggle by women's voting rights advocates throughout the United States, with people from Washington state providing significant leadership.In 1854, six years after the landmark women's rights convention in Seneca Falls, New York, the Washington territorial legislature initially considered enacting women's right to vote.

Anthony visited Washington territory in 1871, and addressed the Washington territorial legislature, the first woman in the country to address a state legislative bodybody. in session.

With the 1910 approval of a state constitutional amendment by the male voters of the state, Washington became the first state in the twentieth century, and the fifth state overall, to enact women's right to vote at the state level.In 2009, the state of Washington posthumously awarded its highest honor, the medal of merit, to the two key leaders of the Washington women's right to vote movement, Emma Smith DeVoe and MayMae Arkwright Hutton.The path to women's suffrage was blazed by western states.

Washington'sWashington action (1910) followed Wyoming (1890), Colorado (1893), Utah (1870),(1895), and Idaho (1896).(1896), and was immediately succeeded by California (1911) and Oregon (1912), in establishing women's right to vote.Washington was a major leader in the movement for nationwide women's right to vote.

TheseWashington successeswas werethe immediatelyfirst followedstate byin Californiathe (1911)twentieth century to fully enfranchise women, and Oregoninspired (1912),the nationwide campaign that soon brought success in establishingmany western states and the territory of Alaska, culminating in the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution providing for women throughout the country to vote.In 2010, the Washington women's history consortium provided leadership for statewide commemoration of the centennial of Washington state women's right to vote.Washingtonvote, wassponsoring and coordinating a wide range of activities, including preparation of a major leadertraveling exhibit.The centennial of the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, in 2020, offers still greater opportunities for Washingtonians to commemorate and educate themselves about the importance of voting and civic engagement, the historic efforts of the women's right to vote movement in Washington and throughout the country, and the subsequent impacts of enfranchising women on life in Washington and the United States.Therefore, the legislature finds it beneficial to begin the process of preparing for nationwidestatewide commemoration in 2020 of the centennial of the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which established the right to vote for women throughout the country.NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2.  The Washington women's history consortium shall:(1) Provide leadership for a 2020 statewide commemoration of the centennial of the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution;(2) Immediately begin preparations for this statewide commemoration, to include but not be limited to:(a) Consulting with a wide variety of organizations, institutions, public agencies, and the general public about the content and conduct of this statewide commemoration;(b) Developing and encouraging others to develop educational opportunities for the public to learn about the active leadership role of Washingtonians in achieving the nationwide right to vote.vote for women;(c) Developing and encouraging educational opportunities about the importance of voting in the context of women gaining the right to vote;(d) Developing and encouraging educational opportunities about the subsequent long-term impacts of women gaining the right to vote;

Washingtonand(e) wasPlanning, thecoordinating, firstand statepublicizing inevents theand twentiethinformational centurymaterials tothroughout fully enfranchise women, and inspired the nationwidestate campaigncommemorating thatthis sooncentennial;(3) broughtCreate success in many western states and thedistribute territorya portfolio of Alaska,public culminatinghumanities inprograms, theand Nineteenthencourage Amendmentothers to thealso Uniteddo Statesthis, Constitutionto providingengage for American women throughout the countrycitizens toof vote.In 2010, the Washington women'swith historyimportant consortiumaspects provided leadership for statewide commemoration of the centennial of Washington state women's right to vote,vote sponsoringmovement;(4) Encourage private organizations and coordinatinglocal agovernments wideto rangeorganize ofand statewideparticipate activities.Thein centennialactivities ofcommemorating the passagecentennial of the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution,Constitution; in 2020, offers still greater opportunities for Washingtonians to commemorate and educate themselves and future generations about the importance of voting and civic engagement.

Washingtoniansand(5) andAdminister thea manygrant visitorsprogram to Washington will benefit from learning about and becoming inspired by the historic efforts of the women's right to vote movement in Washington and throughout the nation, and the subsequent impacts on life in Washington and the United States.Therefore, the legislature finds it beneficial to begin the process of preparing for statewide commemoration from 2018 through 2020, of the centennial of the processes of congressional passage of and states' legislative ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which established the right to vote for American women.NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2.  Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the Washington women's history consortium shall:(1) Provide leadership for statewide commemoration from 2018 through 2020 of the centennial pertaining to the passage by congress of the Nineteenth Amendment and its subsequent ratification by three-fourths of the state legislatures in August 1920;(2) Immediately begin preparations for this statewide commemoration, to include but not be limited to:(a) Consulting with a wide variety of organizations, institutions, public agencies, educational agencies and institutions, tourism organizations, and theorganizations generalexempt publicfrom abouttaxation theunder contentTitle and26 conductU.S.C. of this statewide commemoration;(b) Developing and encouraging others to develop a broad range of widely available educational opportunities for Washingtonians generally, students, and visitors, including significant online educational resources, to:(i) Learn about the importance of voting in the context of women gaining the right to vote;(ii) Consider the subsequent long-term impacts of women gaining the right to vote;(iii) Learn about the active leadership role of Washingtonians in achieving the nationwide right to vote for women;(iv) Honor the countless participants in the women's suffrage movement;

and(v) Inspire future generations to treasure their right to vote;(c) Planning, coordinating, and publicizing events and informational materials for Washingtonians and visitors throughout the state commemorating this centennial;(3) Create and distribute a portfolio of public humanities programs, and encourage others to also do this, to engage Washingtonians and visitors with important aspects of the women's right to vote movement;(4) Encourage private organizations, schools, institutions of higher education, public agencies, and local governments to organize and participate in activities commemorating the centennial of the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution;(5) Coordinate with the regional and national organizations and agencies with respect to their commemorative work;(6) Coordinate with the national collaborative for women's history sites by contributing a Washington component to the development of a nationwide votes for women trail;

and(7) Administer a grant program for public agencies, educational institutions, and organizations exempt from taxation under Title 26 U.S.C.

501(c)(3) of the federal internal revenue code to assist with their commemoration activities.NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3.  The consortium has the following powers, and may exercise them as necessary to carry out its duties:(1) To appoint task forces andor advisory committees;(2) To work with staff appointed by the Washington state historical society;(3) To enter into agreements or contracts;

and(4) To solicit, accept, use, and dispose of grants and gifts.NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4.  (1) Legislative members serving on the consortium or any task forces or advisory committees created to further the purpose of the consortium must be reimbursed for travel expenses in accordance with RCW 44.04.120.(2) RepresentativesState of state and local governmentsgovernment agency members must be reimbursed pursuant to the reimbursement policies of their respective entity.(3)agency or institution.(3) Nonlegislative members are not entitled to be reimbursed for travel expenses if they are elected officials or are participating on behalf of an employer, governmental entity, or other organization.

Any reimbursement for other nonlegislative members is subject to chapter 43.03 RCW.Sec. 5.  RCWRCW.NEW 27.34.230SECTION.  Sec. 5.  The andconsortium 2005shall creport 333annually sby 15December are1st each amended to readthe asgovernor follows:Theand director or the director'slegislature designeeon shall:(1)the Receive,work administer,of andthe disburseconsortium, suchtogether gifts,with grants,any andrecommendations endowmentsto fromthe privategovernor sourcesand aslegislature.NEW maySECTION.  Sec. 6.  This bechapter madeexpires inJuly trust1, or2021.NEW otherwiseSECTION.  Sec. 7.  Sections for1 thethrough purposes6 of RCWthis 27.34.200act ((through))constitute anda 27.34.220,new sectionschapter 1in throughTitle 427 ofRCW.--- thisEND act,--- or the federal act;

and(2) Develop and implement a cultural resource management plan.NEW SECTION.  Sec. 6.  This chapter expires July 1, 2021.NEW SECTION.  Sec. 7.  Sections 1 through 4 and 6 of this act constitute a new chapter in Title 27 RCW.--- END ---